


Something Something, and they all lived Happily Ever After

by MizuPhoenix



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, And a good woman, Armitage Hux Needs A Hug, Artemis Imperia Hux is adorable, Daddy!Hux, Except for Phasma, F/M, Love at First Sight, Nice Armitage Hux, Out of his depth father, Rating will go up, Rey is a teacher, Reyux, She died...years before, Single Dad!Armitage, So fluffy it'll rot your teeth, This is a happy fic where nothing sad happens, Warning: You will fall in love with Artemis, and want one of your own., eventually, smut will come
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 03:40:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21190943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MizuPhoenix/pseuds/MizuPhoenix
Summary: Promise me, Armitage, promise me her life will be a fairytale…Easier said than done. Being a single dad was tough enough, but to bring magic to a child's world, that required a more feminine touch. And then she appeared, draped in pink and fairy dust. Rey Johnson, all-around wholesome, beautiful heaven-sent angel. He just had tonotshove both feet into his mouth, and woo her.“Ah, volunteering to make your graduate application better?” he murmured.Rey stopped and turned to face him, narrowing her eyes. “I try to give back to the community now that I’m able.”Easier said than done, indeed.Life was never a fairytale, but Armitage would be damned if he didn't try. He didn't know the words to this story, but he hoped he knew the ending."And they lived happily ever after."At least, that's the goal.





	Something Something, and they all lived Happily Ever After

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wilson66](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wilson66/gifts).

> Thank you as always to my wonderful Beta [MyJediLife](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyJediLife/works). I'll make you fall in love with Hux damn it!
> 
> Wilson, I couldn't just let Ben snag ANOTHER struggling single dad fic. Here's to showing love to our Ginger Sweetheart. Though there may be some....things in the works with this fic. XD  
I really hope you enjoy <3
> 
> Written for the prompt: Out of depth single daddy (added Wilson love if it's a certain ginger) I hope I do it justice. <3

_Promise me, Armitage, promise me her life will be a fairytale…_

Those last parting words from his best friend randomly reared their head in his mind. Gwen had wanted her daughter’s life to be picture perfect - a fairytale - and yet… Both he and Gwen knew she would have little time with the family she had crafted in the wake of learning about her illness. Still, the brave woman would rather reach a facsimile of her dream than remember her last few years attached to wires and the scent of antiseptic and death.

Those last parting words - a beseeching promise - Armitage Hux was determined to see them fulfilled.

Except - raising their daughter alone was not as easily done as speaking words. Loving his little miss was easy enough - even if he had never been _in love _with her mother - but he was only one man. Bringing light and fairytales to life was never his forte. His strengths lay in numbers and calculations. A nerd, his friends often called him.

_Maybe it would have been better if she had asked me to make Missy’s life more like a comic, _he thought to himself as he walked the aisles of the public library with his daughter.

Artemis was due to start her first year of schooling, and already Armitage found himself floundering. The sheer volume of school supplies, doctor’s appointments, forms, registrations, and all other manner of duties to fulfill were taking their toll. He performed these to the best of his ability. But somewhere between working a full-time job, performing all the household chores and making sure his little princess’ wants and needs were accommodated, in addition to spending as much time as he could with his daughter, Armitage found himself drowning.

At least his daughter loved her stories - much as he had in his younger years. Which found the pair of them strolling through the library looking for an adequate series to fill the now open slot of bedtime story. Having just finished the Harry Potter series together, he was on the hunt for something special.

Hunger Games was far too dark and realistic. The Lord of the Rings was probably another year or two from proper appreciation. Artemis Fowl was up for consideration, the series did have actual fairies - so that had to count for something. The Dresden series was another contender, but this too was also a bit darker than he thought his daughter ready for.

Lost alone in his thoughts, searching for the perfect series for his daughter, Armitage neither heard nor noticed his daughter mention she was going to search elsewhere. He had merely hummed to himself in contemplation as his eyes roamed the shelves.

A few minutes later, with his faith in young adult literature failing, he noticed the missing presence of his daughter.

“Artemis!” he called, voice frantic but hushed - mindful of where he was - as he jogged up and down the aisles calling her name.

His little princess was lost.

* * *

Artemis wandered away from her father. He was busy finding the _perfect _series. Dad always needed everything to be perfect. She had no earthly idea why her dad was so stuck on the idea of perfection. He would probably smile more if he relaxed a bit. Her dad could be goofy, but she had been seeing less and less of that side of her dad she loved.

He worked long hours, he made sure all her meals were homemade, made sure she had the latest in ‘fashion’ - whatever that means - and her collection of princess Barbie’s were the envy of her friends. Artemis also knew her dad sometimes cried to himself late at night. She could hear him - when she crept to his door to investigate, as Harry, Ron and Hermione often did - talking to himself. How he wasn’t doing good enough. How he was failing as a father. How he wondered why this was never so hard before.

Artemis had deduced that the cause of her father’s sadness was because he was alone. No mom to help him with the dishes, kisses, and wishes. Many of her friends had a mom and a dad, some had two dads, and some had two moms. She only had one dad, and while he was great, he really needed to find someone else to help him.

Artemis barely remembered her mother, she had been sick and then had left to go to a better place. One without pain and wires and yucky hospital food. Her mother went somewhere with _magic. _While that was good for her mother, she and her dad were left here, in this boring world without.

Not long ago, Artemis and her best friend Charlie had decided that maybe they needed a family pet. Charlie had the best ideas. His dads were also pretty great, not as great as her dad, but close.

Millicent was great for cuddles. Named after a Slytherin - because Artemis could not see them as villains, and liked they were all as clever and sneaky as she was. Dad had agreed, and now they were a family of three. But Millicent hadn’t done the trick. Her dad still cried sometimes. So, Charlie had suggested she look for another mom or dad to help.

Charlie did have the best ideas.

So far her search for the perfect mom had turned up nothing. She needed a mom who believed in magic. One who was kind, and loved giving kisses and doing arts and crafts. Most importantly - she needed a mom who made her dad smile and act goofy. She loved her dad best when he was being silly.

The library was a great place to look for her future mom, she just needed to find one her dad smiled at.

Except… her dad was stuck in his books.

As if summoned by her thoughts, Artemis heard the sound of soft music, and a kind voice murmuring aloud. Not being able to see the person, Artemis turned to her dad.

“Hey dad, can I go listen?” she asked, being sure to make her eyes large and blinking up at him. He never said no when she asked like that. Not that her dad ever said no very much at all. Charlie thought she was lucky, but Artemis was still undecided on the subject.

“Hmmm,” her dad hummed.

Taking that, and her experience with her father as permission, Artemis went off hunting for that voice. In the kiddie section, surrounded by a group of children all propped up in bean bags, sat a woman draped in pink and fairy dust. She was _beautiful _and reading a story about a princess, a prince, and an evil dragon.

Dragons - like the Slytherins - got the short end of the stick.

Still, the beautiful lady with a silly hairstyle also read the voices in a silly way like her dad did. She smiled so bright Artemis had to blink a few times. She was so..._sparkly. _Slowly creeping forward, Artemis approached.

The pretty lady stopped reading and beamed right at her. With her cheeks matching her hair, Artemis asked, “can I listen?”

“Of course! Right, everyone?” the woman asked the other children.

They all nodded and one girl offered to share her bean bag chair. Remembering her manners, Artemis smiled then whispered, “thank you.”

“Now, where were we?” the lady asked, scanning the crowd.

“The prince was about to fight the dragon!” one of the boys shouted. “Don’t stop now, Miss Rey.”

The other children all encouraged her to continue, and Artemis found herself joining in the chanting.

“Alright, alright,” Miss Rey said.

If Artemis had been interested before, now sitting and listening to the woman tell the story she was convinced. Miss Rey would make a great mom. Now to get her dad over here to meet her and be sure. 

* * *

Volunteering her time to enrich the lives of children was always a must for Rey. Having been orphaned by her addict parents at a young age, and landing herself a one-way ticket into the system, Rey strived to provide the same comforts her one _decent _foster parent had done for her. Her entire life seemed forever marked by the act of kindness of the kindly teacher Maz.

If only…

No, it did her no good to dwell on the what-ifs and could have beens. Rey had become a teacher herself. Paid her way through college fixing cars, and could now spread a little bit of light and joy into the hearts and minds in her life. It was not her full dream, but between college, bills, and various outreach programs she devoted herself too, her love life was rather barren.

Still, she had children for eight hours a day, five days a week. Soon the school year would be starting again, another batch of second graders she would care for until the year was over.

Reading to children and sharing her love of stories was precious to Rey. Her only escape for much of her childhood - if one could call the mess that had been her formative years as such - had been the stories weaved in ink and parchment. No matter a child’s situation, stories could teach, and bring comfort.

Of the current batch of children, one stood out to her as she read the story in a voice as boisterous and animated as allowed in a library. An adorable little redheaded latecomer, with clever blue eyes, and a soft shy smile. There was always one in every group of children Rey identified with for a multitude of reasons.

“And they all lived happily ever after,” Rey finished.

Soft applause filled the small space, but one voice stood out among the other cheers. “Except for the dragon.”

“But the dragon was the bad guy,” another of the children argued back.

“Maybe the prince and princess should have tried talking to him first!” she declared.

Rey closed the book and grinned at the little girl. “You know, I do know of a story where the Dragons are the heroes. It also has princes, princesses, witches, and warlocks.”

The girl turned and immediately began vibrating with excitement. “Really?”

“Oh yes. I loved the series when I was younger,” Rey leaned in to whisper. “Dragons get a bad rap in most stories. Like Slytherins.”

The wide-eyed awe of the young girl filled Rey with a warmth only a child could inspire. “Are you magic? Can you read minds?”

“No, but I do hear I’m good at reading stories, though,” Rey hummed. “But one day, I hope to find magic in this world, too.”

“Miss Rey is the best!” Andy, one of the boys from last year’s class explained. “Storytime in her class was awesome.”

“Thank you, Andy.”

“You’re a teacher?” the little girl asked, getting up from the bean bag chair.

“I am, and I pulled out some books you can all read while you wait for your parents,” Rey reminded them all.

She watched them scamper to the small table stacked neatly with books. The kids cooed over them like the treasures they were, excitedly chatting amongst themselves. Rey moved to the small stereo and popped out the CD she had brought to accompany her storytelling. Feeling a tug at her skirt, Rey turned to see the adorable little girl blinking up at her.

“Did you not want to join the others?”

“Is the book you mentioned there?” she asked.

Rey shook her head. “The story is a bit advanced. You might need your parent’s help reading it. Some of the words are a bit complicated.”

The little girl just smiled. “That’s perfect. Dad and I were just looking for a new book to read together!” she cheered.

Nothing warmed Rey’s heart more - or made it cry out with yearning - than hearing of the love-filled lives of children.

_As it should be, _a cynical part of Rey agreed. “I can go-”

“Artemis Imperia Hux!” a harried sharp voice called.

Rey turned, along with the little girl, who squealed ‘dad’ before running towards a man with matching ginger hair and worried blue eyes. Rey cocked her eyebrow, realizing the little girl must have wandered off to listen to her story without first informing her father.

“She’s been here with us, listening to stories,” Rey explained, indicating the other children all seated and reading the books she had picked out. “I’m Rey Johnson, I volunteer to read every Saturday during the summer.”

The man straightened. He was _impressive, _to say the least. Tall - enough that she had to tilt her neck even while wearing heels - sharp angular features, with soft pink lips - that demanded attention - and kind ice blue eyes. He appeared comfortably dressed in khaki shorts and a soft green polo top, red hair a bit messy and cheeks flushed - most likely from his panic discovering his daughter missing.

The man’s gaze followed her hand and eventually, he breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks. Usually, my daughter is smart enough to tell me before she wanders off.”

His accent - Irish - only further added to this man’s appeal. If Rey were a lesser woman she might have been swooning. She had only noticed he was not wearing a ring when his hand carded through his ginger hair. She had _not _been actively looking.

“But I _did_, dad. I was just listening to Miss Rey and her story. She even said she knew of one where Dragons aren’t the bad guys!” Artemis explained, shaking her dad’s hand.

“That I did,” Rey offered a soft smile. “She was no trouble, but perhaps next time you should make sure your father knows where you are. I’m sure you gave him quite a scare.”

“I’m sorry,” Artemis warbled, “but she reads her stories just like you, dad. With the funny voices and _everything_!”

The man knelt and wrapped his arms around his daughter, holding her close. “I know, just shake me next time, little miss. Can’t lose you, too.”

With a kiss on her forehead, he pulled away and offered his hand. “I really can’t thank you enough for keeping an eye on her,” he gushed, offering her a brilliant smile.

Rey felt her heart stutter in her chest, and with a quiet inhale attempted to center herself. “As I said, it was no trouble. Honestly, it was a pleasure to have her join us, she’s very bright Mr…” Rey trailed off, grasping his much larger hand with her own. Long tapered fingers wrapped around her wrist, gently brushing against her pulse point. His hands were warm.

His eyes widened before he shook himself. “Oh, wow. Sorry I just...um…” seeing the man before her flush scarlet and stammer was only causing the urge to melt into a puddle of goo at his feet all the more real.

“It’s quite alright. You’ve had a time of it, I’m sure,” she tried to put the man at ease.

“You have no idea,” he flashed her a smirk, and Rey’s knees nearly buckled under the weight of his charm as he relaxed and took a half step closer. “Armitage Hux, and the little imp here is my daughter, Artemis.”

“Rey Johnson,” she breathed, flashing a weak smile.

“You already said that,” he pointed out with a smile.

“I guess I did,” Rey felt herself flush.

“Dad, can I look through the books for a little while? You and Miss Rey can find that book she was looking for. Maybe that can be our new Bedtime story?” Artemis asked.

The man - Armitage - smiled down at his daughter. “Dragons are the good guys?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, then I better find this book for you, little miss. You stay right here with the other children though,” he warned.

Rey looked at the other children, making sure one of the Library staff was there to watch them. “I’ll just be a bit, can you handle things here for me?”

“You go on, I’ll be fine,” the woman offered her a knowing smile.

“Then if you would be so kind,” Armitage pulled her attention away.

Swallowing heavily, Rey began leading him towards the young adult section. If she were not careful, Rey was sure she was going to get swept up by this man and his adorable clever daughter. With his warm hand still wrapped around her wrist, tingles raced from her arm to her back, and straight to her palpitating heart.

She was barely treading water as it was.

“So, you said you volunteer here every Saturday?” Armitage whispered, only inches from her ear.

With a herculean effort, Rey managed to suppress the shudder threatening to overtake her. “During the summer. I’m busy with school the rest of the year,” she answered back, focusing on finding the book series.

“Ah, volunteering to make your graduate application better?” he murmured.

Rey stopped and turned to face him, narrowing her eyes. “I try to give back to the community now that I’m able.”

Armitage blinked, blue eyes widening before raising his hand. “Sorry, I...tend to put my foot in my mouth. Shove the whole thing in there really. I meant no offense...just…”

“Making conversation?” Rey offered the olive branch.

His stiff shoulders relaxed, his lips quirking back upwards. “Poorly, but yes.”

Silence returned. Deciding it was better to hunt down that book, Rey’s attention returned to the shelves. The dulcet Irish accent broke her fragile concentration again. “You were brilliant with my daughter. Are you considering teaching for your schooling?”

Giving up on her search - it was futile when all she wanted was to bask in this gentle, awkward man’s attention - Rey turned and flashed Armitage a smirk. “Perhaps.”

“Well, I think that...that you’d make a wonderful teacher…” he whispered, stepping close enough Rey could feel the heat radiating from him.

“I should hope so,” Rey offered him an enigmatic flash of teeth and upturned lips.

Armitage flushed as red as his hair, brows furrowed as he puzzled over her words. “What?” he asked while scratching at the scruff of his beard.

“Considering this will be my third year teaching second grade,” Rey finished, raising a single brow.

“Oh, so you _are_ a teacher,” he chuckled to himself. “Not that my opinion matters much, but I would say you found your life’s calling.”

Bitter resentment bubbled up from old wounds, and she tamped those deep down into the darker parts of her past where they belonged. “I’ve always loved children, and making their lives better has always been a dream. Social services never really appealed to me, but teaching I can do.”

“If I had someone like you around when we lost Gwen, I might not be floundering as much,” he grumbled quietly.

“Gwen? Your wife?” Rey’s heart bled for the charming man and his adorable daughter. To lose a loved one, to lose a mother…Rey banished that depressing line of thought far away. “Sorry, that was insensitive to ask.”

* * *

The beautiful woman before him had him wrapped around her little finger - or wrist as it were - and for whatever reason, he could _no_t keep his mouth shut. Or keep his eyes from wandering - appreciating - every radiant inch. The words found themselves flying from his mouth with the force of projectile missiles. Unable to stop, or alter their course.

“We were never married. She...she was diagnosed and only given a few years. Gwen had always wanted a family. So she asked me - her best friend - to give her that family. She was a right stubborn bird. No matter what _anyone _said, she was having a family whether we agreed or not. So...we had Artemis, and for three years Gwen held on. We lost her a few years ago, and it’s…” he trailed off, tears threatening to spill and make him look a fool in front of this woman.

“I’m so sorry,” Rey whispered her voice heavy with sorrow.

Then two small arms wrapped around his shoulders. He would _not _cry. Not now, _not _in public. “We’re managing,” he murmured into her hair. Sugar cookies, her hair smelled like sugar cookies.

“You’ve done an amazing job, Armitage. She’s so brilliant, full of life and light,” her words - filled with honesty and light - spoke straight to his heart.

Never in all his life had he had such an immediate and visceral reaction to any person before - save his little miss. Warmth, happiness, relief, trepidation, and exhilaration melded together into a cacophony of emotion strong enough to expel a single tear from his eye.

“Thank you,” he breathed the words - heavily with relief - into her ear.

For a few precious moments, all was right in his world. The laws of the universe could not be denied. All things must come to an end, and as Rey pulled away from the embrace, Armitage swore to himself he would hold this woman in his arms again.

Silence returned, but this time instead of a heavily awkward weight separating them, a gentle warmth connected them. He followed dutifully behind the brunette with her glittering eyes, basking in her presence and drumming up the courage to offer his number. He could almost hear his womanizing friend’s response.

_Give her the digits, then give her the D._ Uncouth, but Armitage knew his intentions were not too far off base.

“Aha! There you are,” Rey cheered.

Armitage eyed the book presented to him. _Dealing with Dragons, _by Patricia C Wrede. The cover was interesting enough. A three-horned dragon standing a few feet taller than a woman with wild black hair in a red flowing dress with a sword attached to her belt.

“It looks interesting,” he offered, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“It was one of my favorites growing up. I’m sure your daughter will love it. It’s part of the Enchanted Forest series, so you can stay in the same world for a while,” she pointed to the shelf.

He had been looking for a new series to read with Artemis. Book gripped tight in hand, and a deep breath to summon his courage, he blurted out, “maybe we could read the first chapter together. Just so I do the names and voices proper justice.”

With a mental scream, he prayed the woman did not simply slap him then turn on her heels - walking out of his life forever for his presumption. Ben would have been proud, he was mortified. _And this is why I’m going to be single until the day I die._

“Sure, did you want to go sit in the bean bag chairs?” she offered him a beautiful smile and a very appealing out for his outlandish suggestion.

Armitage’s brain, however, had determined he was going to have a lunch of leather and rubber. “We usually read a chapter before Artemis’ bedtime. It would be highly irregular to read the story beforehand.”

_I need to shut up now, please. Or find a large boulder and crawl under it forever._

Closing his eyes - in preparation for the deserved slap to his face - Armitage resigned himself to his forever alone romantic life. Except after a minute no slap came. Instead, a soft giggle caressed his ears. Peeking out of one eye - only to meet a shy smile with cheeks dusted pink, his eyes shot open.

“I don’t normally make house calls, but I think I can make an exception.”

“You...you will?” _Why? _he desperately wanted to ask. Armitage knew better than to question such a gift.

“It _is _one of my favorites,” she reminded him, her tone teasing. She pulled a pen and paper from her pocket and quickly scribbled something.

_This can’t be happening. _

“Here’s my number. Text me a good time and the address if you’re still interested later,” she offered the piece of paper to him, pointedly not looking at him.

She was handing _him _her number, and _she _was the one embarrassed. Trembling fingers brushed along her own as he accepted the treasure offered to him. _Interested later, please come home with me now, _he whimpered at the contact between them.

Clearing his throat he answered back, “I’ll text you later, then.” His voice cracked, and heat rushed to fill his cheeks.

“I hope so,” she whispered, a soft tentative smile gracing her lips.

_This is _actually _happening, right? _He wondered. “Count on it,” he assured her.

The spell was broken by the familiar giggle of his daughter. “You found it?” she asked. Turning to find Artemis peeking around the shelf, he sighed. They really needed to have a serious talk about her newly forming habit of wandering off.

“Yes, we did. And Miss Rey was kind enough to offer to help us read the first chapter tonight,” he surreptitiously looked to Rey to find her beaming at his daughter and nodding vigorously.

“Really?” Artemis gasped.

“But only if you apologize for wandering off again. You were supposed to stay with the other children until your dad came back,” Rey’s face morphed into a serious penetrating stare.

“Sorry,” she replied.

He was a goner. This woman had swept him into her orbit, and he was going to be happily circling her for as long as she would allow. “Alright Little Miss,” Armitage cleared his throat, thankful his voice did not crack again. “Let’s go check out this book.”

“Yeah, then we can make dinner for Miss Rey to thank her,” she cheered.

“You don’t need to do that,” Rey assured her.

Suddenly Armitage wanted nothing more than to cook dinner for the three of them to share. Breakfast and lunch as well, but that was getting a bit too ahead of himself. Dinner first.

“Yes we do, it’s good manners,” Artemis argued. “Dad’s the best cook. I promise it’ll be good.”

Waiting for an answer on bated breath, Armitage was sure his heart was about to burst from his chest. “Fine,” Rey finally agreed and turned towards him, “but nothing too fancy. I don’t want to be any trouble.”

He would cook this woman a full five-course meal if it would keep her around for a bit longer. “Any allergies? Oh, you’re not allergic to cats, are you?”

“No, and I love cats. I’d have one if the rules for my apartment were a bit less strict,” Rey laughed.

Pinching himself just to make sure he was not dreaming this entire encounter - welcoming the pain with open arms - a lopsided grin fell into place on his lips. “I-uh-we should go get this checked out then. We’ll see you tonight then?”

“Definitely.”

* * *

Artemis skipped the entire way to the checkout counter. She needed to thank Charlie the next time she saw him. Her dad hadn’t stopped his goofy grin since they left Miss Rey’s side. This was going to be so awesome.

Her dad was happy, and Miss Rey looked really happy, too. Everything had to be perfect tonight. That way Miss Rey would stay with them forever. Artemis had some planning to do.

The library _was _the best place to find a mom.


End file.
